| dc.description.abstract | Crested macaque (Macaca nigra) is critically endangered species as
categorized by International Union for Conservation of Nature. Consortship is a
common strategy in primates living in multimale-multifemale (MM-MF) groups.
Consorting has been shown to significantly increase reproductive success and
reproductive skew of males. Current theory and these limited qualitative
observations suggest the hypothesis that following functions as a means for males
to gain access to fertile females. The aim of this study was to investigate consort
and follower status based on quantitative observation. The study was carried out on
free-ranging crested macaques living on two habituated groups. Males were
classified as either “consort males,” “followers,” and “non-followers” based on
proximity maintanance every 15 minute uses scan sampling. Tactics used by
followers were classified: 1) individual challenge, 2) coalitionary challenge, 3)
abandoned takeover, and 4) opportunistic takeover. The proportion of successful
takeovers by followers was calculated by dividing the number of takeovers by
followers by the total number of observed takeovers. High-ranking male in a freeranging
group consorting females was most frequently before the day of
detumescence.
Two tactics were used by both follower and non follower. The proportion of
successful takeovers by followers was calculated by dividing the number of
takeovers by followers by the total number of observed takeovers. The proportion
of followers is higher than average on D-5 and earlier, D-4, and D-3. Only two of
the four consort takeover tactics were used by followers (Figure 2). For abandoned,
which made up 40% of consort takeovers tactic used by followers. Individual tactic
which made up 11.5% of consort takeover tactic. Overall, 25.4% of consort
takeovers were executed by males who were followers of the targeted consortships.
This study contributes to our understanding of alternative mating strategies by
examining a little studied alternative mating strategy in primates. This study
provide the first quantitative data demonstrating that following is an alternative
mating strategy in crested macaque (Macaca nigra). | id |
